Integrated lime kilm process

ABSTRACT

A process and system for recovering waste heat from a kiln used for lime or cement production. The system unifies the kiln, a waste heat recovery and power generation circuit and a dry scrubber for scrubbing the pollutants from the kiln offgas. Essentially, the system employs the boiler component of the waste heat recovery and power generation circuit as a heat exchanger to recover the waste heat from the kiln, which is used to drive the steam turbines. The heat absorption from the latter stage lowers the temperature of the kiln offgas sufficiently for optimum performance from the scrubber. The presence of lime particles in the offgas effectively protects the boiler tube surfaces from corrosion which would occur at optimum scrubber temperatures, and subsequently provides the lime required as a scrubbing medium for the dry scrubber. Further, the efficient scrubbing allows for the use of any fuel for firing the kiln inclusive of high sulphur content compounds. A process for effecting the technology is also provided.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 11/498,718, filed on Aug. 4, 2006, the entire disclosures of whichare incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a process and system for recoveringwaste heat from a kiln used for lime or cement production fuel and moreparticularly, the present invention relates to the unification of knownelements such as a kiln, a waste heat recovery and power generationcircuit and a dry, semi-dry, or semi-wet scrubber (collectively “dryscrubber” herein) for scrubbing the pollutants from the kiln offgas, ina previously uncombined manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is well known that in North America, lime and cement is typicallyproduced in rotary kilns. The primary energy consuming reaction in bothprocesses is the conversion or calcination of limestone (CaCO₃) to lime(CaO) also known as quicklime. The intense heat and energy needed todrive the reaction requires the use of fossil fuels. A byproduct ofthese processes is fine particulates trapped in air pollution controlsystems of rotary kilns commonly known as lime kiln dust (LKD) andcement kiln dust (CKD). LKD and CKD contain, primarily, limestone, flyash from the fuel and quicklime.

The required use of fossil fuels can present pollution concerns and,depending upon the type of fuel used, may require a further unitoperation, such as flue gas desulfurization, to satiate the problem. Infurtherance, typical exit temperatures of kilns exceed that which can beeffectively used for dry scrubbers. The dry scrubbing operation is bestsuited for temperatures in the range of 350° F. to 400° F. The dischargeor offgas temperature of a long, straight-type kiln, for example can bein excess of 1000° F.

To achieve effective dry scrubber operation, the excess heat must beextracted from the offgas. Typically, it is dumped to the surroundingenvironment and wasted.

This is less energy-efficient, represents a sub-optimum economiccondition, and contributes to long-term environmental concerns such asthe production of green house gases.

Conventional boilers are commonly used to capture heat contained inoffgases from fossil fuel-fired sources. Operational parameters andmaterials of construction must be carefully controlled in order to avoidcorrosive chemical attack. Typically of greatest concern is in-situformation of sulfurous acidic compounds. When burning fossil fuelscontaining sulfur, corrosive acidic formations will occur on boilersurfaces that are below acid dew temperature.

A gas scrubbing method is established in United States PatentPublication No. US2005/0031515, published Feb. 10, 2005, andincorporated herein by reference.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved techniquefor recovering waste heat from a kiln and using the heat energy togenerate power while concurrently optimizing pollutant dry scrubbingsuch that previously undesirable fuels can be employed for firing thekiln. Lime particles contained in the LKD or CKD emanating from the kilnacts to protect the boiler heat exchange surfaces from corrosive acidicattack and subsequently can be used as the scrubbing medium in the dryscrubber.

Generally, a further object of one embodiment is to provide anintegrated kiln process, comprising providing waste heat recoverycircuit; the circuit including a boiler and turbine generator,introducing kiln discharge gas into the boiler, the discharge gascontaining kiln dust, cooling the discharge gas to a temperaturesufficient for introduction into a dry scrubber, absorbed heat withinboiler water being transferred to the turbine generator, whereby theboiler functions as a heat exchanger and scrubbing the discharge gas.

A still further object of one embodiment of the invention is to providea system for recovery of thermal energy from a kiln for powergeneration, comprising a kiln, a waste heat recovery circuit including aboiler and a steam turbine, the boiler for receiving discharge gas fromthe kiln and generating steam for the turbine and a dry scrubber forreceiving cooled discharge gas at a temperature from the boiler suitablefor optimizing dry scrubber efficiency.

Yet a further object of one embodiment of the present invention is toprovide a method for dry scrubbing gas generated from the combustion ofhigh sulphur based fuel in a kiln process, comprising the steps of:providing a waste heat recovery circuit, the circuit including a boilerand turbine generator; providing a high sulphur content fuel for firingthe kiln; introducing kiln offgas into the boiler, the offgas containingkiln dust and lime particles; collecting lime particles on heat exchangesurfaces of the boiler to reduce acidic attack of the surfaces attemperatures below acid dew point; and scrubbing the offgas.

Having thus generally described the invention, reference will now bemade to the accompanying drawings illustrating preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of the overall system according toone embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of the waste heatrecovery and power generation system used in the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a scrubber for use in the presentinvention; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of the scrubbing operation.

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of another embodiment.

Similar numerals are indicative of similar elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings and in particular FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, shownis an overall schematic illustration of the process according to oneembodiment of the present invention. The process is globally referencedby numeral 10 and provides a straight kiln 12 of the rotary variety asis known in the art having an inlet 14 and outlet 16. The kiln issupported by supports 18 and these supports also function to permitrotation of the kiln. Specific details of this arrangement will not bediscussed as any suitable kiln known for lime formulation can beselected and will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

The discharge or offgas exiting outlet 16 is transferred into a wasteheat recovery power generation circuit, globally denoted by numeral 20.The circuit includes a boiler or reboiler 22, turbine generator 24 whichturbine generator is in electrical communication with an electricalstorage means 26. A condenser 28 is provided to condense any excesssteam and recirculate the steam as water back into boiler 22.

In greater detail, the boiler 22 receives the discharge gas or offgasfrom outlet 16 at an extremely high temperature, namely at a temperaturebetween 400° F. and 2000° F. The discharge is streamed from the boiler22 exiting the boiler, and denoted by numeral 30 is reduced to atemperature of between 300° F. and 400° F. and more particularly between350° F. and 400° F. In this manner, the boiler 22 effectively recoverswaste heat from the kiln and reduces the temperature of the stream to bescrubbed exiting at 30 a temperature which is essentially ideal for themaximum efficiency of the dry scrubber globally, denoted by the numeral32.

The boiler functions, in effect, as a heat exchanger and exchanges thewaste heat from the kiln to the water circulating within the boiler.This results in the generation of steam which is particularly useful toact as a drive means for turbine 24 for the generation of electricity.

Conventionally, boiler systems which are known to be particularlysusceptible to corrosion unless operated under strict parameters, cannotbe incorporated into such unit operations as set forth in FIG. 1. Thelow target exit temperature of the boiler needed to optimize the dryscrubber, combined with the use of sulfur-bearing fossil fuels, willlead to the formation of corrosive acidic compounds on the surface ofthe heat exchange surfaces. One skilled in the art would not be led toincorporate such a unit for such conditions.

It has been found that not only does the incorporation of the waste heatrecovery circuit alleviate the problem with having to lower thetemperature exiting the kiln 16, but also that the result is theproduction of electricity. In this arrangement, one skilled in the artwould then be led to the conclusion that the particular fuel used tofire the kiln 12 and more particularly, the offgas 16 content would becritical for consideration in view of the fact that the boiler 22 isincorporated, which boiler 22 obviously incorporates tube networks.Normally, this would present significant difficulties in that theoptimum temperature for the scrubber 32 is approximately 350° F. andthis temperature requires the tube surface to be below the acid dewtemperature of the sulfur compounds originating from the fuel.

By practicing the methodology as set forth herein, the LKD or CKDprovided by the kiln creates a lime coating on the tubes in the boiler22. This is an effective coating to prevent corrosion by the sulfurcompounds when operating within the temperature range as noted hereinand therefore permits the use of high sulfur bearing materials as asuitable fuel for firing the kiln.

As a particularly convenient feature, the LKD or CKD provides thescrubbing medium required to scrub the sulfur oxide and sulfur dioxidecompounds from the stream. Referring now to FIG. 3, the dry scrubber isshown in greater detail where the inlet 34 of scrubber 32 is a venturireactor 36 which introduces the scrubbing medium to the cooled offgasfollowed by particulate material captured in a baghouse 38. The finalexhaust exiting the baghouse at 40 has an exhaust temperature of between250° F. and 300° F. and more particularly 280° F. with the majority ofthe sulfur dioxide removed therefrom.

In respect of FIG. 4, shown is the overall scrubbing mechanism where arecycled particle 42 contains calcium hydroxide (hydrated lime) andwater. In the mechanism, lime and free moisture coat the surface of theLKD or CKD and as the water evaporates the surface temperaturetemporarily drops below the acid dew temperature. The condensed acidscombine with the lime and are therefore effectively neutralized. Whenthe water has entirely evaporated, the particle heats to the mean gastemperature.

FIG. 5 illustrates yet a further possible embodiment of the systemaccording to the present invention. The overall layout incorporates anumber of parallel kilns with additional kilns being indicated by 12′with subsequently increasing ′ (prime) indications. A stack 42 isprovided to discharge the final exhaust from outlet 40 of the baghouse38.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that compound makeupwill be added where needed during the process operation of the circuitsnoted herein.

The embodiments of the invention described above are intended to beexemplary only. The scope of the invention is therefore intended to belimited solely by the scope of the appended claims.

1. A system for recovery of thermal energy from a kiln for powergeneration, comprising: a kiln; a waste heat recovery circuit includinga boiler and a steam turbine, said boiler for receiving offgas from saidkiln and generating steam for said turbine; and a dry scrubber forreceiving cooled offgas at a temperature from said boiler suitable foroptimizing scrubber efficiency.
 2. The system as set forth in claim 1,wherein said kiln is a lime kiln.
 3. The system as set forth in claim 1,wherein said kiln is a cement kiln.
 4. The system as set forth in claim1, wherein said system further includes a condenser and cooling tower.